New hybrid cars launch Hangar-7 (Austria 2022) WRC FACTBOOK 2022 SEASON 2022 35 SEASON 2022 HYBRIDS IN HANGAR-7 A star-studded driver line-up and the FIA World Rally Championship’s pioneering new hybrid cars delivered a high-voltage introduction to the 2022 campaign in Austria. Adrien Fourmaux, Thierry Neuville, Kalle Rovanperä and Ott Tänak, the wraps came off the stunning contenders that will compete across 13 rounds on four continents in 2022. In the championship’s 50th season, the WRC is undergoing major environmental changes, as plug-in hybrid-powered cars built around an upgraded safety cell chassis, fully fossil-free fuel and sustainable energy supplies drive the series towards a greener future. The championship’s groundbreaking new generation of Rally1 machinery from its three competing manufacturers – Toyota Gazoo Racing, Hyundai Motorsport and M-Sport Ford – gathered for the first time for a live TV launch in Salzburg’s landmark Hangar-7, five days ahead of the Rallye Monte-Carlo curtain-raiser. In the presence of FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and top-tier drivers including Craig Breen, Elfyn Evans, “The launch of the Rally1 era is a very proud and significant moment for the FIA and the entire rally family, and I would like to congratulate WRC Promoter for delivering a great show at the start of the championship’s 50th season,” commented President Ben Sulayem, a former WRC competitor himself. “Beside the hybrid technology adding a new dynamic layer of performance combined with safety improvements, Rally1 cars will use fossil-free fuel and work is also ongoing to achieve greater sustainability in the organisation of each round of the series. I look forward to an exciting season!”